Post Tour 1
Information on the 20th World Rose Convention in Fukuyama 2025 Post-tour:
Tour to the ancient capital of Kyoto and rose gardens in Shiga and Gifu Prefectures

Travel from Fukuyama to Kyoto by bullet train

Japanese Gardens (Nanzenji, Kinkakuji, Ryoanji etc.)

Kinkakuji (World Heritage Site)

Formally known as Rokuon-ji, it is a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect's Shokokuji School. The Shariden "Golden Pavilion" is particularly famous, hence commonly referred to as Kinkaku-ji. The representative stroll-style garden from the Muromachi period is designated as a Special Historic Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty. The brilliant Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku) can be viewed from anywhere.

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Kyoto Botanical Gardens

Located in the northern part of Kyoto City, overlooking Mount Hiei and the Higashiyama mountain range to the east, the clear streams of Kamo to the west, and the peaks of Kitayama to the north. Established in 1924, it serves as a leisure spot for Kyoto residents and a base for activities related to flowers and greenery, as well as a venue for learning and education. The southern half of the garden features a Western-style garden consisting of the Main Flower Bed, Greenhouse, Rose Shaped Flower Bed, and Submerged Flower Bed. The Greenhouse is Japan's largest greenhouse where rare tropical plants from around the world can be observed. The northern half is a natural forest called Han-ki-no-mori and a plant ecological garden planted with indigenous plants from various parts of Japan, including horticultural plants such as cherry blossoms, Japanese apricots, and irises. Bamboo and bamboo grass are planted around them.

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Hanamikoji

Hanamikoji is one of the places where you can feel Kyoto's traditional culture. This street is particularly known as part of the Gion district, with many tea houses and ochaya (tea houses) lined up. Hanamikoji forms a beautiful townscape with traditional wooden architecture, popular among tourists and locals alike.

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Arashiyama・Sagano

The "Arashiyama area" offers breathtaking seasonal views of the Hozu River, Togetsukyo Bridge, and Arashiyama. The magnificent mountains seen from over the Watarigatsu Bridge across the Katsura River are a scenic spot that delights visitors throughout the year. Starting from Togetsukyo Bridge, stroll through a 400-meter bamboo grove path leading from Nonomiya Shrine to the northern gate of Tenryu-ji Temple and Okouchi Sanso, or enjoy the scenery by climbing the mountain road to Daihikaku Senko-ji, halfway up the mountain of Arashiyama. There are many restaurants and souvenir shops along the street, and you can also enjoy sweets near Togetsukyo Bridge. The "Sagano area" is where you can explore traditional streets with many famous temples and feel the historical romance. It is dotted with famous temples on both sides of the road extending northwest. If you continue along this road, you will encounter the "Saga Toriimoto Historic Preservation District"," which has developed as both a temple town of Atago Shrine and a rural area. Beautiful natural backgrounds, such as Japanese-style townhouses and thatched-roof houses, are lined up, offering different charms to discover.

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Ryoan-ji

Ryoan-ji is a temple of the Rinzai Zen sect, Myoshin-ji school, located in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City. It is especially famous for its stone garden. The stone garden of Ryoan-ji is a type of Japanese garden called "karesansui" or dry landscape, and its simple yet profound beauty attracts many tourists from both Japan and abroad. There are also beautiful ponds and gardens within the temple precincts, where visitors can enjoy the natural scenery of the four seasons.

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Rosa & Berry Tawada

Located on a slope near Mount Ibuki, Rosanberry Garden derives its name from roses and blueberries. It is an English garden where you can experience various activities, such as exploring gardens of roses and perennial herbs, a vegetable garden, a grape house, and a sheep farm. The garden features an English rose garden predominantly showcasing English roses, an Asian rose garden with Asian varieties, a kitchen garden, and a conifer garden. Approximately 370 species and 1,000 rose bushes are planted throughout the garden. There is a steam locomotive in the garden that runs through a tunnel of climbing roses. In the experience workshop, you can create woolen accessories and bake bread.

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Nagara River Cormorant Fishing Cruise

Tourists can enjoy a traditional cormorant fishing cruise on the Nagara River flowing through Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. This tour allows you to observe traditional fishing methods up close while riding a sightseeing boat, providing a valuable experience to appreciate Japanese culture and the beauty of nature.

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Gifu World Rose Garden (Formerly Flower Festa Commemorative Park)

It began with Hanafesta in 1995, initially named Hanafesta Memorial Park, and renamed Gifu World Rose Garden since 2021. As the name suggests, it boasts one of the world's largest collections of roses, featuring Japan's largest rose garden with approximately 6,000 varieties and 20,000 bushes. The garden includes an Old Rose Garden with around 3,000 wild and old rose bushes, and 13 themed gardens predominantly showcasing modern roses. At the Welcome Garden just inside the West Gate, approximately 5,500 bushes of 18 varieties, centered around the disease-resistant rose Knock Out, are planted. The Rose Terrace and Rose Corridor are the largest themed gardens with 9,000 bushes planted in 4,800 varieties, and the climbing rose corridor is the longest tunnel of its kind in Japan. The Old Rose Garden is planted in an island shape according to the lineage of roses. Spread across vast 80.7-hectare grounds, visitors can enjoy a variety of flowers throughout the four seasons. The garden received the WFRS award from the World Federation of Rose Societies in 2003.

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Urakuen (National Treasure)

Image provided by Nagoya Railroad Co.,Ltd.

Urakuen is a cultural facility centered around a Japanese garden and a teahouse, located in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture. Within the garden, there is Jo-an Teahouse, designated as a National Treasure. This place allows visitors to gain a deep understanding of traditional Japanese culture and history through its teahouse and garden.

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National Treasure ・ Inuyama Castle

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Located east of Inuyama Castle, this garden houses the national treasure teahouse, Jo-an. Jo-an is a relic associated with Urakusai, the younger brother of Nobunaga Oda, and is one of the "Three National Treasure Teahouses" in the history of tea ceremonies. Originally located at different sites, it was relocated to the vicinity of Inuyama Castle in 1972 and named Urakuen, which includes its garden. Urakuen features creative designs such as ancient calendar pastings, Uraku windows adorned with bamboo, and Nijiriguchi low-crawling entrances.